Editorial

Stewardship and the joy of giving alms

During Lent, we are encouraged to engage in the three ascetic practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

Prayer allows us to talk to God and to listen to his word. Fasting is a disciplined approach to self-denial, to giving up good things that we may want but which we don’t really need. And almsgiving (donating money, food or clothing to people who are in need) is an expression of Christian stewardship.

Stewardship is a concept that is frequently misunderstood. Contrary to popular belief, stewardship is not fundraising or the Sunday collection. It is not a program sponsored by a parish or diocese that is designed to encourage the giving of time, talent and treasure. And finally, stewardship is not tithing (giving 10% to the Church or charities).

These are all good things, and many of them can be expressions of stewardship, but they are not what stewardship is. So, what is stewardship?

Stewardship is a practical form of Christian spirituality. It is like Ignatian, Franciscan or Benedictine spirituality. It is a way of following Jesus and living the Gospel that requires discipline, commitment and a willingness to give generously of ourselves.

Stewardship is an attitude of the mind and heart that expresses itself in action. You can’t just think stewardship thoughts. You can’t just feel like you’re being generous or charitable or kind. You have to actually put these thoughts and feelings into practice.

A Christian steward is one who acknowledges that God is the rightful owner and the true giver of all things (spiritual and material). Stewards freely admit that everything that they have, and everything they are, is a gift that they have received from a good and gracious God.

Yes, Christian stewards may have worked hard and accumulated many possessions. But the intelligence and the talents and the professional skills that they possess today were all given to them as gifts—from God, first of all, but also from their parents, teachers, mentors, spouses and families, and from colleagues and friends.

Nothing that Christian stewards possess—physically, mentally or spiritually—comes entirely of their own making. All is grace, unmerited and undeserved, and everything is meant to be taken care of and shared generously with others.

In 1992, the U.S. bishops published a pastoral letter on stewardship titled, “Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response.” In it, they describe a Christian steward as: “One who receives God’s gifts gratefully, cherishes and tends them in a responsible and accountable manner, shares them generously with others, and returns them to the Lord with increase.”

Gratitude comes first. We can’t be good stewards if we are bitter, resentful or constantly complaining about the wrongs done to us or all the things we don’t have. Saying “thank you” changes our perspective. It improves our attitude.

Accountability comes next. A good steward accepts responsibility for taking care of the gifts he or she has been given. And accountability is an active virtue. It requires honesty, integrity and the willingness to disclose information about what we have done, or failed to do, with our material and spiritual gifts.

Generosity flows from gratitude and accountability. If we are truly grateful, we will want to share our gifts with others. If we are really taking responsibility for our thoughts, beliefs and actions as a Christian, we won’t want to selfishly hold anything back. Everything belongs to God, and God has given these material and spiritual gifts to us to take care of them, and to share them generously with others.

Giving back to the Lord with increase is the fourth characteristic of a Christian steward. We are called to grow God’s gifts, to give back more than we were given to begin with.

God gave us brains to develop and use. We also received emotions, talents and skills that can either be neglected and ignored or matured for our own good and the good of others. When we stand before the Lord at the gates of heaven his question will be: “What did you do with all the gifts I gave you?” Can we honestly say that we took what we were given, developed it, and shared it gratefully and generously with others?

Almsgiving—charitable giving to those who are poor—is a particular expression of Christian stewardship. The more we practice almsgiving, the more we experience the joy of giving.

As pilgrims of hope, let’s share joyfully and generously all the gifts that God has given us.

—Daniel Conway